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Anguish and agony in the Pyrenees today, and the cycling twitteratti is on fire with #chaingate. With thousands of other bloggers and cycling news sites weighing in on the controversy, I’ll refrain from entering the debate … except to say that any cyclist who does not respect the maillot jaune should not be allowed to wear it. And in my mind, this applies to everything from sportsmanship to doping.

Although I do manage to get caught up in the sport and competition of the Tour, I have to admit that I am probably more drawn to watching it for the shear beauty of the cycling. It’s an incredible sight – the stream of colorful cyclists, the human power, the bicycles, set against a breathtaking backdrop of mountains, fields of sunflowers and lavender, and charming French villages. The movement of the peloton as it flows around the curves of the road, or parting and rejoining at a roundabout, all in unison. It is stunning. It always reminds me of a flock of birds taking flight from a field, or a school of fish cutting through the water – moving more as “one”, than as “many”.

So today I got caught up in the drama in the mountains, glued to the television for longer than I care to admit, but did get out for a ride – with much less drama than the one I had watched. No massive climbs for me – and no slipped chain. But it was on my mind.